"The volcano is continuously erupting," Tim Birch from the Bureau of Meteorology`s Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Darwin told AFP.

Birch said one plume was affecting northern Australia and impacting Darwin and was expected to linger for at least the next 18 hours.
Another was over central Australia which could cause problems for overland flights, while a third was about 100 kilometres from Denpasar airport on Indonesia`s Bali.